Elsewhere in town

"A pathogen ...panademic..not again, and now the school is abandoned..im glad I don't have children right now" says a woman, around 33 of age, brown hair, as she drives to work.

Her name is Rebecca Bettis , and just happens to be an old classmate of Bryce Melton. They graduated together. Rebecca works at Kingstons dollar general store. She's actually on her way to work, it's about 5 pm. The sun sets in 2 hrs. The thing us though, last night she could swear she saw Bryce as she was on her way home, but the last she heard is that he left Kingston to pursue s culinary career. Thats not the odd part, she thought she saw his eyes , inhuman eyes of pitch blackness with illuminated crimson irises.

"No..I was imagining it..I had to be..right...it was late..and I doubt it was him, but why can't I stop thinking about him though, ever since last night..I..I don't even like him , we barely ever talked " says Rebecca to herself as she pulls into the parking lot of Dollar General mart.

Not to long after Rebecca starts her shift, fire trucks go by the store. The next hour is uneventful, then a customer comes in with a friend.

"Really..your kidding me the school went up in flames " says one of them.

"Yeah, and supposedly thus so called panadimic was part of why it was set aflame " replys the other.

"How's that?" Asks the first.

"Beats me maybe their was infected inside or something "the other replys, before they get our of Rebecca's ear shot.

"Its covid all over again " thinks Rebecca.